Labor commits to Devonport Living City handover

Feb. 21, 2014, 1 a.m.

COMMITMENT from Labor to hand over the Devonport Magistrates Court and LINC to Devonport City Council was the kind of input the council was waiting for to get the ball rolling, Devonport Mayor Steve Martin said yesterday.

Labor commits to Devonport Living City handover

COMMITMENT from Labor to hand over the Devonport Magistrates Court and LINC to Devonport City Council was the kind of input the council was waiting for to get the ball rolling, Devonport Mayor Steve Martin said yesterday.

Labor announced on Wednesday the transfer of the site into council ownership, provided Labor is re-elected at next month's state election.

"We are looking for partisan commitment so we can move on and start talking to the retail tenants, developers and investors," alderman Martin said.

He said he would be looking for this level of commitment in each of the parties.

"This is the commitment we need to move forward and talk to those waiting in the wings," he said.

Alderman Martin said it would mean the project could start sooner rather than later.

"We could start building within 12 to 18 months," he said.

Premier Lara Giddings yesterday visited Devonport and reaffirmed Labor's commitment to handing over the current site, which houses the Devonport Magistrates Court and LINC to the Devonport City Council.

"This is a significant commitment," Ms Giddings said.

"These are two key blocks within the Living City Project to unlock in order to fulfil the project," she said.

She said the magistrates building and LINC would be relocated, although a new site had not yet been selected as there were ongoing discussions to determine the requirements for the buildings.

Both Ms Giddings and Alderman Martin said it would be a step towards providing more employment on the North- West Coast.

"It will create 1000 jobs," Alderman Martin claimed.

Alderman Martin said the Harris Scarfe site, purchased by Devonport City Council from Craig Badcock, had been zoned as a public space for arts and hospitality and maybe accommodation under the plans to open the city on to the Mersey River.